Meetings That Improve the Business

Several years ago, our team was dealing with a frustrating login issue. About one person each week would be affected, and the disruption typically lasted only a few minutes.

The team responsible for resolving the issue was actively working with the vendor. We held problem-solving sessions, investigated possible causes, and provided daily updates through email and Teams messages. The work was being done.

People were understandably frustrated and wanted the problem fixed. More than anything, they wanted to know when it would be resolved. We didn’t have that answer yet. The vendor was still investigating, and despite our best efforts, there was no timeline we could confidently provide.

As a result, the issue was discussed repeatedly in meetings that weren’t designed to solve it. Those conversations consumed valuable time without moving the resolution any closer. Ironically, several people later admitted they weren’t reading the daily updates that were already being shared.

Eventually, the vendor identified the root cause and fixed the issue. Looking back, I learned an important lesson:

Discussing a problem and solving a problem are not the same thing.

Meetings create awareness. Problem-solving sessions create solutions.

Sometimes the best thing an organization can do is create dedicated space for the people closest to the issue to focus on finding the answer and use other types of meetings to improve the business.

Last week, we discussed meetings that help run the business (catch up here). Those meetings keep work moving and teams aligned. But organizations don’t improve simply because work gets done. Improvement requires dedicated time to solve problems, learn from experience, and build new capabilities.

That’s where this second category of meetings, meetings that improve the business, comes in. These meetings are more than status updates. They create space for solving problems, learning from experience, and building capabilities that make the organization stronger over time.

Problem-Solving Meetings

When significant issues are surfaced during tactical or strategic meetings, schedule a separate working session focused entirely on solving the problem.

This prevents routine meetings from being derailed by a single issue and allows the people closest to the problem to focus on finding a resolution.

One common mistake is assuming that more discussion will create faster results. In reality, some problems require dedicated time, focused attention, and subject matter expertise rather than additional status updates.

Key Characteristics

• Root-cause analysis
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Decision-making
• Roadblock removal

Project Kickoffs

When a significant project starts, a dedicated kickoff meeting can help clarify the purpose, scope, success criteria, roles, timeline, and risks.

These meetings build shared understanding before work begins and are especially important in strategic planning, cross-functional initiatives, and IT.

A strong kickoff often prevents misunderstandings and rework later by ensuring everyone starts with the same expectations.

Retrospectives or After-Action Reviews

Retrospectives take place after a project finishes or a problem is resolved. They allow teams to pause and ask:

• What went well?
• What didn’t go well?
• What should we do differently next time?

They turn experience into learning and help prevent teams from repeating the same mistakes.

The goal isn’t to assign blame. It’s to identify lessons that can improve future performance.

Learning Sessions

These meetings help people learn, develop new skills, and improve how they execute their work.

Examples include:

• Lunch-and-learns
• Internal training sessions
• Book clubs and discussions
• Technology demonstrations
• Cross-training workshops
• Cross-functional shadowing
• Internal conferences

Teams that make learning a regular part of their culture often become more adaptable, more resilient, and more capable of handling change.

Reflective Question

What recurring problem keeps showing up in your meetings that deserves its own dedicated problem-solving session?

Organizations that improve consistently create an advantage that compounds over time. They solve problems faster, learn faster, and adapt faster.

The login issue from my story eventually disappeared. What stayed with me was the reminder that improvement doesn’t happen because the same topic is discussed over and over. It happens when the right people have the right conversations at the right time.

Next week, we’ll explore the third category of meetings: those that help build the team.

P.S. If your team conducts retrospectives, consider capturing lessons learned in a shared Microsoft Loop workspace. It’s a simple way to keep improvement ideas visible and ensure they don’t get lost after the meeting ends.
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​P.P.S. On July 28, The Outlier Team is hosting a free meeting assessment course where you'll learn how to assess your current meetings and use Microsoft tools like Planner, To Do, and Teams to run better meetings. We only have fifteen spots, so sign up today here! Can't attend on that date? Sign up anyway and we will send you a recording.
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Perry Myers
​The Outlier Team​